FT Origins: Gajeel Redfox
by jrahmetho
Summary: The back story behind the infamous, Gajeel Redfox. Take a step back in time to witness his world while growing up.
1. Chapter 1

FT Origins: Gajeel Redfox

"Gajeel! Your mother and I have been thinking you haven't spent much time outside." His father spoke firmly. "That's right," his mother continued with, "why don't you head over to the river bed and play there? Be sure not to get close to Dawn's Ledge though, sweetheart." Gajeel simply nodded, and smiled brightly to both of his parents as he made his way down to the riverbed. Upon arriving at the river, he glanced around, and noticed, far off, Dawn's Ledge. Being the trustworthy child he was, Gajeel stayed away from the ledge to the best of his abilities. Doing anything, and everything he could to have fun.

Nightfall came upon the small town, and Gajeel was seen still playing by the riverbed. "Heheh, mommy is going to love her new flower crown!" At that moment, Gajeel's eyes widened and he instantly dropped the flower crown to the ground after hearing a shriek of terror coming from the direction of his home town. Gajeel slowly turned his head, and trembled at the sight of his home, and town set ablaze. "... Mother? ... Father?" Gajeel hesitantly took a step forward before rushing off for his house. Not truly knowing what was happening, Gajeel walked into the flaming town until he reached his house. He saw three shadows inside the house, from the window, and glanced inside. Gajeel slowly lifted his hands to his face, and trembled more vigorously to witnessing his family being slaughtered by Dark Guild members.

Letting out a hearable cry for his mother, and father as soon as they were cut down, the Dark Guild member quickly turned to Gajeel. "Oi! Someone get the kid!" Hearing the man's words, Gajeel looked around quickly before making his way through the city once more. Not truly knowing where to go, but his body led him back to the riverbed. His eyes already red, and puffy, tears were streaming down the young boy's face. "I-I don't have a family anymore..? Mommy.. Daddy.. Why am I alone now..? What am I supposed to do now?!" Gajeel's ears perked up, and he slowly glanced behind him; hoping his ears were just playing tricks on him.

Gajeel walked backwards; taking small steps with each foot going behind him. Tears still falling from his face as we watched the three Dark Guild members approach the young boy. "Well well well," one of the members grinned sadistically while eyeing down the terrified boy, "thought you could get away huh? Well.. You thought wrong." Each of the three Dark Guild members let out their own devious chuckle after the statement made. "I..." Gajeel continued to step backwards until his foot touched the edge of Dawn's Ledge. "Heheheh, can't back up either!" Gajeel trembled more, and thought to himself "Where do I go now..? I don't want them to catch me..."

Gajeel blinked, and once he opened his eyes, a shocked expression overcame his face. He glanced behind him, down the cliff, and looked back at the Dark Guild members. Gajeel just leaned back, and his body fell from the cliff. Shocked, and confused, the Dark Guild members looked at each other than the ledge. "Crazy ass kid! He is as good as dead anyways. Come on guys, let's go." The three shook their heads to one another, and decided to head back over to the burning city for any other loot, or people to kill.

Now falling backwards off the cliff, Gajeel simply closed his eyes; tears still forming and floating in the air. "Why did I just do that..? I'm going to end up dying anyways.. but.. I swear I could hear someone tell me 'Jump! Do not worry young boy, I shall catch.' Well..? Where are you? Why am I still falling..? I.. wish I was never born." After thinking that, Gajeel continued falling, and falling, until finally...

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Gasping loudly as he sat up, the Dragon Slayer panted heavily while placing his hand on his head; sweating profoundly. "Oi.. What the hell was that..?" The well built, and pierced, man glanced over at the small black exceed sleeping soundly next to him. "At least one of us can get some sleep, giheh.." Gajeel laid back down, and stared at the ceiling; slowly resting his eyes, and drifting back off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

FT Origins: Gajeel Redfox

(Part 2)

The young boy had awakened the next morning, and lifted off the ground. He grasped the back of his head, and felt a large lump; wincing as he felt said lump. Gajeel then stopped what he was doing then realized he had no idea where he was. He looked around at his new surroundings, and blinked; tilting his head in confusion. "N-Nani..? Where am I?" the young boy said softly while looking around. Gajeel looked up, and saw Dawn's Ledge. "...Why do I feel like I fell from up there..?

A large thud was heard as if something crashed into the ground; causing everything to shake. After, a deep, scratchy voice was heard behind the trees. "Oi, kid! You fucking awake yet?! Or are ya gonna sleep the whole damn day away?" Gajeel was petrified from the deep voice, and sat there silent. Slightly agitated, the voice yelled out, "Are you ignoring me?!" At that moment the trees began being crushed by giant metallic feet. A large, blunt rounded head lifted down in front of the boy. "Giheh..", the creature spoke, "It's not good to keep an Iron Dragon waiting, boy."

"I-Iron Dragon..?" Gajeel said softly, yet was still too scared to move. Just to make it worse, the Iron Dragon shouted out "Yes! Can't you fucking hear?! I am the Iron Dragon known as Metalicana!" Gajeel got down in the fetal position as the Dragon shouted, and said "I-I'm sorry..! Don't eat me.." "Nani? Eat you?" The dragon said in confusion, "Why would I wanna eat the kid I just saved?! The would have been a waste of my energy." The Dragon scoffed, and huffed out. "Save... me..?"

"Yes, save you. I'm the one that told you to jump off the cliff!" Gajeel listened to the Dragon's words, but was ultimately confused. "Cliff?" Gajeel looked back up at Dawn's Ledge, and tried to remember why he was up there in the first place. After a few seconds of trying to remember, the bump on the back of his head began aching. Gajeel quickly placed his hands on the bump, and winced in pain. "I can't.. remember anything besides waking up, and meeting you.." Metalicana scoffed once more, and shook his head. "Tch, doesn't matter I guess. Seemed like you were in a bad spot anyways."

Metalicana huffed once more before turning his body, and he began walking back into the forest. Gajeel stood there dumbfounded, and had no idea what he should do before the Dragon yelled out at him. "Oi! You fucking comin' with me, or what?" Gajeel blinked in confusion, and spoke up with "Nani? Come with you? Where too?" Metalicana rolled his eyes, "Well, I can't just leave you out here alone, so why not come with me? If you're lucky, I might teach you in the arts of Dragon Slaying.. Giheh" Gajeel's eyes widened as he chased after Metalicana. "Dragon Slaying?!"

After walking for about thirty minutes, the Dragon and the young boy arrived to an open area equipped with boulders, a cave to sleep in, and a waterfall that ran down into a lake. Gajeel still excited after hearing Metalicana might teach him Dragon Slayer magic, he ran out in front of the Dragon stating, "When are we gonna start?!" Metalicana shook his head, and began walking towards the cave. "You want to learn the magic, then you have to pass the first step." Gajeel tilted his head, and followed the Dragon into the cave. "Step? What Step?" Metalicana simply bursted into laughter, and grinned sadistically. "You'll see."

After hours and hours of screams of pain and agony coming from inside the cave, one last shout of from Metalicana is heard. "Hold still you little shit! You only have one more to go!" Tears streaming down the young boy's face as he screams in pain so more, "It hurts so much! I don't wanna be a Dragon Slayer anymore!" With another grin on the Dragon's face, "Giheheh, then you're in for a world of let downs starting tomorrow." The Dragon pierced the last bit of iron into the boy's body. Deafening screams was the only thing heard from thousands of miles away.

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Gajeel stood propped up against the guild's wall with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He slowly opened his eyes, and lifted up his right hand to the iron piercing to the very left above his eyebrow. Touching it gently in remembrance of it being the last piercing he received. His shivered slightly, and shook his head. Over by the bar, a worried Levy and Pantherlily were conversing for a few good minutes over Gajeel's behavior. "Lily.. What's wrong with Gajeel?' said the bluenette Solid Script mage. "I'm not sure," the black exceed replying back with "Something's been off about him, but I'm sure it's a faze." Levy glanced over at the Iron Dragon Slayer, and sighed softly. "I hope so..."


	3. Chapter 3 (Final Chapter)

FT Origins: Gajeel Redfox

(Final Part)

"HEEYAAHHH!" The scene rolls in with the young boy striking a large boulder; a cracking sound right after the strike. Metalicana walks out to the training area to seeing the boy screaming in pain, and tears flowing down his cheeks. "Quit your crying boy!" The Iron Dragon shouted, but the boy responded with "But.. It hurts!" The Dragon stayed silent for a few seconds before bringing his foot up, and bopping Gajeel on the head; the boy letting out a soft "owe..." as he finally stopped crying. "Let me tell you rule number one boy," Metalicana huffed out, "Dragon Slayers don't cry! Got it?!"

"Now, what seems to be the problem, boy?", the Dragon asked while glancing over towards the boy. Gajeel looked up at Metalicana, then back at the ground. "The boulders are too tough, and I keep hurting my hands against them.." "Hm.." Metalicana nodded slowly, and continued with, "Alright, here is what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna make you some gloves!" Gajeel's eyes lighten up, and his expression becomes overjoyed; a large smile painted across the boy's face as he says "Really?!" Metalicana nodded, but grinned teasingly before his expression went back to being a serious one. "But, here's the catch."

"Catch?" Gajeel said in a confused tone; tilting his head while glancing at the large Dragon. Metalicana nodded towards Gajeel, "I will give you the gloves when you're strong enough, brat!" Teasing the young boy with thinking he was about to receive the gloves. Gajeel, almost torn apart when he realized he wasn't receiving the gloves, put on a determined face while shouting, "I'll show you!", then he rushed over to the boulders. continuing out with his training to show Metalicana that he would get strong enough to wear the gloves. Metalicana simply grinned, only saying "Giheh.." before heading into the cave to start on the gloves.

A few months had rolled by, and Gajeel was exceeding in his training. Breaking down boulder after boulder with relative ease. One night, Gajeel and Metalicana were settling in to get a good night's rest. "Oi, father?" Gajeel said softly, Metalicana was somewhat confused as this was the first time Gajeel had called him 'Father'. "Hm..?" The Iron Dragon hummed out. Gajeel continued out with, "I'm getting pretty strong now. giheh! Soon those gloves you promised me, will be mine!" Metalicana looked down at the boy, who was grinning cheekily, and chuckled softly. "Oh? You think you're strong enough for em now?" Gajeel quickly nodded in agreement.

A few minutes of silence pass by, and Gajeel turned his tone to a more serious one. "Father.. Thank you.." Metalicana, once again confused, replied with "For what, bra-.. Gajeel?" Gajeel continued with "For the day you took me in. I was scared, but.. I was happy also. I felt like I was going to be alone, yet you found me, and raised me. You took that feeling on loneliness away.." Metalicana stayed silent through Gajeel's little speech until he finally mustered up the words to say "Oi.. Don't thank me for something like that. I've had my fair share of loneliness, so don't let something like that bother you, kid." Gajeel nodded slowly, and softly asked before drifting off to sleep "But you'll never leave me, right father?" Hearing the sound of Gajeel snoring, Metalicana softly whispered back so he wouldn't wake the young boy. "I can't make empty promises... son."

The next morning, the date was July 7, X777. Gajeel had awakened to noticing Metalicana wasn't there. He got up, and rushed outside to find his father. He yelled out "Father! Where are you?!", but to his fail, he couldn't find him. Gajeel remembered what he had said last night, and he tilted his head to the ground; starring sadly. Gajeel walked back into the cave, thinking Metalicana was just hunting for breakfast or something. Gajeel looked up, and noticed on the stump in the ground, where the light was shining down on, was a pair of gloves, custom made. When Gajeel noticed the gloves, it finally hit him. He was alone once more. Holding back, the already streaming down his cheeks, tears. Gajeel said softly as he reached out for the gloves, "Dragon Slayers... Don't cry..."

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"Ga...j..ee..l... Gaj...eel... Gajeel... Gajeel!" Hearing a voice beside him, Gajeel snapped out of his daze, and glanced down at Pantherliy. "Nani? What is it?" Pantherlily looked up, and frowned slightly. "We're supposed to go on a job, Gajeel." He continued on with "Are you okay? You've been acting kind of funny. You even have Levy worried." Gajeel turned his head, and stood upright off of the wall. "Tch, of course I'm alright. Also, it ain't none of you two's business anyways." He huffed out while exiting the guild. Pantherlily followed him, and shrugged." If you say so, Gajeel." Gajeel grinned slightly, "Giheh, now lets go kick some ass, and get some jewels." Pantherlily thrusted his fist into the air, and shouted in response. Soon after, Gajeel's grin turned into a frown as he whispered "Stupid Metalicana..."


End file.
